Workshop deals with quality of life
Doing research and building evidence to improve the quality of life in local communities was the focus of a program that saw six people graduate from a recent workshop.
A two-week MicroResearch workshop was held in Cape Breton for the first time to train and mentor local community members to conduct practical research, building evidence for improving the quality of life in their community.
The program was originally designed by Dr. Noni MacDonald and Dr. Bob Bortolussi from Dalhousie Medical School for the World Health Organization, and has operated for 10 years in Africa. Other workshops have been held around Nova Scotia in in Kentville, north end Halifax, Preston and Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation.
This first central Cape Breton project will focus on gathering information about specific barriers and incentives for residents to participate in community engagement activities.
Community engagement and participation are widely recognized by the Canadian Medical Association and other research to contribute to roughly 50 per cent of an individual’s health and quality of life.
The area that will be covered by the regional community development corporation, Central Cape Breton Community Ventures Inc., will include the Washabuck Peninsula and communities from Little Narrows to Barrachois and as far south as Castle Bay.
The graduates of this first Cape Breton workshop include Dorothy Barnard, River Bourgeois, Debbie Brennick, Baddeck, Jill MacMullen, Sydney, Hugh C. MacNeil, Iona, Juanita MacNeil, Lower Washabuck and Murdell MacNeil, Iona. Cathy MacMillan of Jamesville is also a member of the ongoing project team.
MicroResearch workshops in Cape Breton communities are conducted by Cape Breton University’s Shannon School of Business as well as its nursing department, and by Dalhousie University, with support from the IWK and Nova Scotia Health Authority. The Iona workshop was also sponsored by the Municipality of Victoria County’s physical activity strategy.